“If your health is compromised and you’re spending a lot of time in a cold environment, it can lead to health issues around coughs and lung issues. You’re burning off an awful lot of energy trying to keep warm, and if you don’t have access to regular meals, then that could be really challenging, and people start to get run down and worn down.”

The Extreme Weather Protocol program began in 2004 and opens shelters to deal with overflows caused by “acute winter weather conditions of heavy wind, snow and snow accumulation, rain and temperatures of 0’ and below,” according to its website.